Sri Rangam - A journey to remember - 2

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Sri Ranganatha Divyamani Padukabhyam namaha !!!

Swamy Deshikan ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam !!!

 

Dear Bhakta-s

 

....Continued from Part - 1

 

The next day at Arangam, as usual, started very early. After the theertha

gOshti at the Ashramam, it was time for vishwaroopa sEvai at Arangan

sannidhi. The northern entrance or the thAyAr sannidhi leads to kAvEri

theertham. Around this time on this path one can see the sannidhi archakar-s

go to kAvEri to fetch water for the ThiruvArAdhanam. On seeing this one

might wonder -

" ThiruppAnAzwar must have stood some where here, when he was injured by Loka

sAranga muni (archakar) and later, upon RanganAthan's order Loka sAranga

muni must have carried ThiruppANAzwar on his shoulders on this same path to

Arangan's sannidhi " . The same episode is greatly enjoyed and celebrated by

Swami Deshikan in one of his works called " Muni vAhana bhOgam " .

 

Walking on the streets of Arangam, it is worthwhile to think as to how

blessed we are, for we are walking on the same streets where once all our

AzhwArs and AchArya-s like Nathamuni, Yaamunamuni, Raamanujamuni,

KooraththAzwAn, Bhattar and above all, our Swami Deshikan walked.

 

It was a day of vishEsha alankAram-s at thAyAr sannidhi as well as perumAL

sannidhi. It was a never to be forgotten day at the sannidhi of Sri

RanganAthar.

 

Moolavar SriranganAthan, was on that day dressed as a prince - Rajavasthra

alankAram. The Rajavasthram which perumAL adored was a blue velvet suit

worked with pearls and gold. The alankAram closely resembled the most famous

" Muththangi " of vaikunTa EkAdashi.

 

While standing in front of arangan, one gets to wonder -

" Is this the same Aranga, kOdai married " ,

" Is this the same divya mangaLa vigraham that all our Azwars and AchArya-s

have sung " ,

" Is this the same perumAL seeing whom ThiruppANAzhwAr sung amalanAdipirAn " ,

" Are these the same eyes which, our Ramanujar showed DhanurdAsa " ,

" Is He the same Aranga on whom Bhattar sung RangarAjastavam " ,

" Is this the same thirumEni that Deshikar sung in his Bhagavad DhyAna

sOpAnam " ,

" Are these the same thiruvadigaL and pAdukai, which Deshikar sung in his

PadukA Sahasram " and many more.

 

With great reluctance we had to come out of the sannidhi. Coming outside one

could see the newly polished glittering " praNavAkAra vimAnam " with

paravAsudEvan in it. ThAyAr and Deshikar sEvai were also very enchanting.

 

Around this time, the kovil renovation works start off, with gOpuram-s being

painted and at some other places, arrangements are going on in full swing

for the vaikunTa EkAdashi festival.

 

It was adiyEn's desire for almost a year now, to recite pAdukA sahasram at

Deshikar sannidhi in Thiruvarangam. By the grace of Aranga, it was fulfilled

this time.

We were informed that the celebrations on the day of Paduka avathAra

thirunAL went on very well at Deshikar sannidhi.

The first matapam of Deshikar sannidhi has the first slokam of all the 32

paddhathi-s of Paduka Sahasram painted on the walls.

Very close to thAyAr sannidhi, one can find our Swami Deshikan's

thirumALigai.

 

Back at the Ashramam, Srimad Andavan blessed us with many books which are

publications of the Ashramam, including the sandhyAvandanam book in

DevanAgari and Tamil regarding which Sriman Madhavakannan had written to us

sometime back. H.H had a word of praise for the bhakthi revolution through

the internet, discussion groups and electronic journals etc. H.H also had a

special word of praise for Sriman Muralidhar Rangaswamy and praised his

efforts in organising tele-upanyAsam-s and also as a co-ordinator for the

forth coming ShathAbhishEkham.

 

Srimad Andavan has recorded the vyAkhyAnam-s for around 100 pAduka sahasram

slokam-s which is at present the theme of His tele-upanyAsam. Due to time

constraints it was not possible for us to make a copy of these cassettes.

AdiyEn is planning to go back on one of the weekends to make this copy.

 

One other thing which adiyEn would like to say. There are a set of 20

pre-recorded cassettes available on YathirAjasapthathi and Gopala Vimshathi

with vyAkhyAnam by H.H. Srimad PoundarIkapuram Andavan. These cover the

entire philosophy of VishishtAdwaitha in the most enjoyable way. It is a

great treasure house of knowledge which bhakta-s could acquire.

 

These were only my experiences during my stay at Arangam. All errors and

omissions are mine.

 

After leaving Sri Rangam, on the way back we had darshanam of Uttamar and

PoorNa valli thAyAr at Uttamarkoil, a divya dEsam on the banks of kollidam

river close to Thiruvarangam.

 

atra Eva SrirangE sukhamAsva |||

 

Sri Ranganatha Divyamani Padukabhyam namaha.

vAzhi vyAkhyAmuddirak kai |||

 

dasan,

Balaji

SIEMENS Communication Software

 

P.S - Nice quote

Lord ! There is nothing that can happen to me, that, you and I together

cannot handle.